dishing up diversity?

story by | kari klingsporn hitterdal

Ican't do it all, but I can make soup! That is one of my life mantras and seems particularly fitting for this time of year. My husband can tell you I am not a fan of winter, especially at this point when it seems like it is never going to end! As much as I am ready to push the calendar forward to warmer months, I know there are plenty of positives that come out of this season.

During these long, late winter days when the frenzy of the holidays is only a memory and the dreaminess of summer is still a distant future hope, I have time. It is a welcomed sabbatical of slowdown that I really have come to cherish in the excess of overscheduling that grips our modern lifestyle. This time often becomes a period of reflection and reevaluating life, too. Big questions like 'Why do I live here?' are sure to create some internal struggle for me. But I take a deep breath and take on some of the smaller things in life I can control, like 'What can I make for dinner that will shake things up?' I am past craving the comfort foods that satisfied me in the excitement of fall and the reality is even my stretchiest yoga pants aren’t going to withstand another lasagna. I am no longer obligated to holiday food customs and feel the need to really nourish myself with something new and exciting. So, what to do? It is time to experiment with food!

As long as my husband and I have been together, this is the time of year when our creative juices really get flowing in the kitchen. We have passed many winters pouring over new recipes in our latest food magazines, attempting to recreate meals from our favorite restaurants at home, and enjoying the pleasure of an escape in the comfort of our own home that a new recipe can bring.

When we haven’t had the time or finances to splurge on travels, we have found taking a Saturday afternoon to plan a dinner party for ourselves or with friends can really ignite a sense of adventure and refresh our souls from winter monotony.

Attempting a new ethnic flavor in your kitchen can be fun for the entire family and can serve as a great mini-vacation of the mind and soul. We have numerous amazing ethnic groceries in our area that offer a fun family outing just checking out the multitude of exotic products they stock. Of course, including your kids in the process is a must—whether choosing the recipe, shopping, or cooking. The benefits of a few hours nourishing your family bonds through a shared meal are priceless. We have had fun choosing recipes based off of places we’ve been, places we have dreamed of visiting, as well as trying recipes from countries our kids have studied at school. What do you have to lose but a few dollars in groceries?

Not in the mood for cooking? Take your family out to a new restaurant! Skip the same old restaurants and try an ethnic restaurant you’ve never been to. We have a surprising number of great ethnic restaurants in the area that are family friendly and won’t break the bank. Again, involving the family in the task of choosing what type of cuisine to try can be half the fun. It’s a nice outing to break up the long winter days and a great opportunity to have a little adventure!

I hold a lot of value in what I put on the table for my family to eat. I think the memories you hold dear from childhood are based on time together as a family. The busy schedules we live with can take our family dinners away from us, but I think we have the opportunity as parents to take that back as often as we can. Time at the table is a time to really connect with our families, make memories, and try something new! And maybe we are blessed as residents of the Upper Midwest to take advantage of our long winters and spice them up with a vacation for our palate!

Kari’s passion for food, family, and fun has been with her since her upbringing on the shores of Big Floyd Lake near Detroit Lakes, MN. She earned a Secondary Education degree in Social Studies and English from Concordia College. Although determined to leave the area upon graduation, she instead fell in love with a globetrotting area native, and has lived in the F-M area for 18 years. Kari and her husband, Brent, have spent many long winters perfecting Thai recipes with their three children and eager taste-testers, Gunnar [13], Ava [10], and Ella [5]. Kari takes great pride in her career of stay-at-home mom, which has allowed her to cultivate her love for food and provide imaginative and healthy meals for her family. Just don’t ask her kids about meals that they have labeled “Kari’s Creations!”